Court issues warrant against Sanjay Raut in defamation case filed by Medha Somaiya

A court here on Friday issued a non-bailable warrant against Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut for not attending proceedings in a defamation complaint filed against him by Medha Somaiya, the wife of BJP leader Kirit Somaiya.

The warrant was issued by the Sewri metropolitan magistrate which recorded the complainant's statement and adjourned the hearing to January 24. Raut did not remain present despite the court's order, Medha Somaiya's lawyer said. Somaiya has moved the court claiming that Raut made baseless and defamatory allegation that she and her husband were involved in a Rs 100 crore scam related to the construction and maintenance of public toilets in Mira Bhayander area near Mumbai.

She sought registration of a case against Raut, who belongs to the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena, under Indian Penal Code section 499 (criminal defamation).